WESTWOOD—The Los Angeles City Council is expected to consider an initiative which would allow 100 medical marijuana clinics to continue to operate in the city. The city council is also expected to make a decision on the case this month. The clinical marijuana shops would still have to function with certain limitations.

City Council will determine the fate of medical marijuana dispensaries.

The supporters of the proposal labeled “Medical Marijuana Collectives Initiative Ordinance,” collected 41,138 signatures on a petition, which were required in order for the initiative to be considered.

The group supporting the proposal is known as the Committee to Protect Patients and Neighborhoods and works with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance and Americans for Safe Access L.A.

If the measure is passed there would be a reduction in the current number of marijuana dispensaries from over 100 dispensaries to roughly 100 total after the initiative is implemented The dispensaries allowed to operate would do so under restrictions that includes operating during business hours and at certain locations. The dispensaries would have to prove they were in business before September 14, 2007.

There was an attempt by the city council to prohibit all storefront dispensaries back in July, but it was not successful since there were supporters who collected signatures against the ban.

This initiative is sponsored by the group Angelenos for Safe Access. If passed, the initiative would grant permission to dispensaries to operate if they are at least 500 to 1,000 feet from schools, libraries, childcare centers, religious institutions and parks. There would also be a $60 business tax on every $1,000 of marijuana sold.